Who Generally Gets Accused Of White-Collar Crimes?

There really are no limits to the type of persons who may end up being accused of white-collar offenses. We have seen all types of people get accused from: employees, owners, independent contractors of companies or government agencies, and individuals who are well-connected with employees of companies or government agencies. For example, a perpetrator might be a family member of a mortgage broker who could help effectuate some of the instrumentalities in the crime.

Are White-Collar Crimes Generally Prosecuted In Federal Or State Court?

Federal agents will often handle white-collar crimes because they typically have more resources and the ability to conduct more thorough investigations than state agencies. But, in contrast, we recently handled a white-collar/violent crime case that involved commercial burglary, armed robbery, kidnapping, and the trafficking of computer chips. The state attorney general took this case as the lead prosecutor as the state offense of kidnap for robbery carried life in prison.

Why Do I Need An Attorney Who Is Specifically Experienced In Handling White-Collar Crime Cases?

Absolutely. White-collar crimes are unique because they are typically handled by very specialized prosecutors. These specialized prosecutors handle a limited number of specific cases, such as environment, tax, and insurance fraud cases. And they received very specialized training and ongoing training as well. Also, oftentimes, there are particular statutes which pertain to the case at hand, such as insurance code, the uninsured code, worker’s comp, or tax statues. These cases require a lot of investigation, paperwork, attention to detail, and patience. This all leads to you needing an attorney with the requisite legal acumen to be able to attend to all of the nuanced issues in white-collar cases.

Do Most People Convicted Of White-Collar Crimes Go To Prison Or Do They have Other Options?

Not all white-collar convictions lead to a state prison offense. Additionally, there can be potential lesser offenses that you can plead to. It will also depend on the victim, and whether it’s a private person, insurance company, corporation, or small business. As most things in life, money talks, so there is a huge need to get money in line for restitution payments. There can be a disparity between white-collar prosecutor’s tenacity across Bay Area counties.

White-Collar Crime — What Is It?

We’ve all become familiar with the term white-collar crime, though most of us wish we hadn’t. During the financial crisis of 2007–08, also known as the financial collapse, we watched, and many of us suffered, as what economists called the ‘greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s,’ happened in real time. When the smoke cleared from the initial implosion of Wall Street’s largest financial pillars, it became clear that the events preceding were comprised of some significant white-collar crimes. White-collar crime on this level destroyed lives and brought about new laws and significant regulation in an effort to make 2008’s collapse the last one of that scale.

But there are many white-collar crimes committed in America by regular citizens, who probably aren’t the CEOs or financial managers of the world’s largest corporations. And there are many people charged annually for white collar crimes in San Francisco and all across America who are falsely accused, people who have done no wrong.

At The Law Offices of Jonah Chew, we believe everyone deserves a second chance, and that’s why we represent clients accused of white collar crimes in San Francisco and across California. Many times those charged are first-time offenders, and we fight hard to make sure one mistake, no matter how great, doesn’t destroy a person’s life, or the lives of their entire family, bringing about financial ruin, prison time, and stains on their reputation that can never be removed. Oftentimes, if an offender is a first-time offender, we can get the prosecution to reduce the charges, or reduce the mandated penalties, plea bargain for lesser sentences, reduce court costs, and so much more.

And the cases in which our client has been falsely accused, well, those make our blood boil. As attorneys we fight for justice, and there is nothing more unjust than ruining someone’s life by falsely accusing them of a crime they simply DID NOT COMMIT. If you have been charged, or feel you are about to be charged, with white collar crimes in San Francisco, call us immediately and let us get to work on your defense.

Simply stated, regardless of your charges, our primary goal is to win, and winning means getting charges dismissed or winning an acquittal in the court. We will fight to win, because winning your case will allow you to restart your life, to essentially hit the reset button. We’re sticklers for facts and details, and when we work with you as your white collar crimes attorney in San Francisco we’ll review every detail, every document, every situation, every person involved, every accusation, every piece of alleged evidence… with a microscope, because a magnifying glass is just not good enough. In short, we will exhaustively review everything in our quest to find errors and holes in the prosecution’s case against you, to, ultimately, defeat the prosecution and win big.

Common Types Of White-Collar Crime We Defend Against

Securities Fraud

Also known as ‘investment fraud,’ securities fraud is a white-collar crime that may be committed in a myriad of ways or forms, but typically includes the misrepresentation of information that investors use to make their decisions.

Tax Evasion

The criminal act of tax evasion can come in many forms, but a common example would be the simple act of filing taxes with false information. Additionally, transferring property in order to avoid a tax obligation would also qualify as tax evasion.

Fraudulent Schemes

There are many fraudulent schemes, such as mortgage fraud and insurance fraud, Ponzi schemes, and more, that are rather common. Lying on an application for insurance reimbursement or the collection of benefits for example, would be one type of white-collar crime, a fraudulent scheme to collect monies that you are not entitled to.

Embezzlement

The crime known as embezzlement is the taking of money from an individual or entity to whom you owe a duty. For example, if a company employee siphons money from their employer into a personal account they control, this would be embezzlement. If an investment adviser were to improperly use funds that their client has given them for investment purposes, this again would be an example of embezzlement.

Money Laundering

This white-collar crime involves the action of moving money obtained via illegal means through a series of transactions in an attempt to make the money appear to be legitimately earned or held.

For more information on White-Collar Crimes In California, an initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (415) 484-0906 today.